10 Low-Carb Keto Diet Vegetables

10 Low-Carb Keto Diet Vegetables

Vegetables, along with fruits, are promoted by the food pyramid as foods we need to eat generously at 3-5 servings daily. Keep in mind, however, that when you’re on the ketogenic diet, your carbohydrates intake should not be more than 30g per day.

We are told since we were kids to eat vegetables because they are good for us. Don’t get me wrong, it’s true. But not all vegetables are low-carb. Try juicing a carrot, it’s sweet without adding sugar to it. That will make us think, “Is this veggie good for my keto diet?” The truth is, the carrot has natural sugar making it sweet and therefore has more carbohydrates. Do you know that you need to juice more than half a kilo of carrots just to make 1 cup of carrot juice? That’s 22g of carb already.

It is not forbidden to eat high-carb veggies, though. You just need to be careful on the amount you consume remembering your target of below 30g daily. What you can do is mix high carb veggies with low-carb ones for variety.

The most recommended vegetables for keto diet are low in carbohydrates but high in nutrient values. You guessed it right. These are the dark and leafy kinds we love in our salads and side dishes. Cruciferous vegetables are the best. These kinds include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bokchoy, collards, kale, brussels sprouts and similar green leafy vegetables.

These are easy to incorporate into a meal. Lettuce in our burgers, beef meals with broccoli, or creamy cauliflower soup. Sound delish! Healthy, satisfying, tasty and keto diet-friendly.

Keep away from sweet or starchy veggies. Remember, vegetables/crops that grow underground like potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes are very high in starch. Other veggies which are sweet or starchy include corn, beans, squash and onions making them high in carbohydrates. If you can’t help it, watch your portions.

You’ve got to be focused when on a ketogenic diet and watch what you eat. Since, we don’t want our sweet tooth to take over.

Top 10 Low-Carb Vegetables in my list are:

Asparagus – One cup of asparagus only has 4g net carbs. Cooking this in butter then served with cream cheese and topped with bacon bits is a sumptuous keto diet vegetable side dish.

Avocado – This super food will come up in almost every list of healthy foods in any category. Is it high in fat? Yes, it is! High in monounsaturated fats but low in carb. Just 3g net carbs per cup. You can eat it as it is but we can always add some flavors and give it a twist. Avocados are not just for guac, you know?

Bell Peppers– They have certain sweetness in every bite. They also make any meal appetizing to look at because of its different colors. You can’t go wrong with these because one cup of chopped bell peppers only has 6g net carbs.

Broccoli– At only 4g net carbs per one cup, broccoli is loaded with Vitamins C and K. Backed up with studies, broccoli was found out to help in decreasing insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. Being part of the cruciferous family, it has a cancer-fighting compound called sulforaphane.

Cauliflower– Dubbed as the most versatile among the Keto Diet Vegetables because it has a very low carb at only 2g net carbs per cup. Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals that help to lower risks of cancer and heart diseases.

Green Beans– Think of 6g net carbs per cup, this member of the legume family is definitely low-carb and a good addition to your Keto Diet Vegetables list.

Lettuce– Green salads are not complete without lettuce. Fresh, crunchy and satisfying. With less than a gram of net carb per cup, wow!

Mushrooms– Do you know that these fungi are good for you? Having only 1g net carb (white mushrooms) per cup, mushrooms can perk up your dish because of its flavor and texture.

Spinach– Spinach is full of health benefits such as controlling blood glucose in diabetic patients, lowering the risk of cancer and improving the quality of the blood. These leafy greens have only 3g net carbs per cooked cup and only 1g net carb per cup when raw.

Zucchini– Succulent zucchinis are a good source of heart-friendly potassium. Being one of the Keto Diet Vegetables, Zucchini has low 3g net carbs per cup. Try Creamy Zucchini Soup with butter, bell pepper, celery and cream as ingredients. It is heavenly.

Again, think of low-carb and non-starchy Keto Diet Vegetables that are bursting with micro nutrients keeping us healthy and active all day.